Good times: Hoopin' it up with Obama at White House

President
Barack Obama
invited members of Congress and four Cabinet secretaries to play basketball last night at the White House.

Treasury Secretary
Timothy Geithner,
Education Secretary
Arne Duncan,
Interior Secretary
Ken Salazar
and Housing and Urban Development Secretary
Shaun Donovan
were expected to play, along with nine Democratic members of the House and two Republicans.

Democrats expected to attend were
Mike Arcuri
of New York,
John Boccieri
of Ohio, Brad Ellsworth and
Baron Hill
of Indiana,
Jay Inslee
and
Rick Larsen
of Washington state,
Frank Kratovil
of Maryland,
Patrick Murphy
of Pennsylvania and
Heath Shuler
of North Carolina. Republicans are
Jeff Flake
of Arizona and
John Shimkus
of Illinois.

TRIVIA TIME

What golfer won 72 official LPGA tournaments including 10 majors and 18 other international tourneys, and tops the LPGA's career money list with earnings of over $22 million?

GOOD EXCUSE TO RUN IN UNDIES

Two days before the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, hundreds of athletes showed off some of their best stuff.

The Underpants Run started as a way to poke fun at European triathletes strolling around town in their Speedos. The 12th annual charitable event has grown into a much anticipated pre-race spectacle on the Big Island.

Yesterday morning, 400 athletes trooped along a mile of the famous race course, dressed in their finest undergarments.

Paul Huddle
is a retired triathlete and Underpants Run organizer. He says the world championship is an important race for the athletes, and the charity event “is just a fun way to release some of the pre-race tension.”

The event raised more than $5,000 for local charities, including Special Olympics.

CUTTING BACK TO 4 SIX-PACKS

Adult fans at one of Australia's most popular motorsport races, the Bathurst 1000, will be limited to one “slab” of beer a day — or 24 375 milliliter (just over 12 ounces) cans — as police focus on reducing alcohol-related crime.

The 24-can rule would also be placed on mixed drinks for the V8 car race that started yesterday and which draws thousands to the rural town of Bathurst in the eastern New South Wales state, the NSW police said.

Wine lovers must make do with no more than four liters of cask wine per day. Combinations of the options would not be allowed.

The race runs through Sunday.

BRRR-ONCOS OUT OF ‘THE BUBBLE’

The Denver Broncos didn't go indoors when the weather turned bad.

Instead of practicing inside “the bubble,” coach
Josh McDaniels
had his team work out in the rain, sleet and snow that pelted Dove Valley yesterday.

The forecast for Sunday when the New England Patriots visit the Broncos calls for a chance of slushy snow, so McDaniels figured it would be silly not to practice in it.

FROM FIGHTER TO FOOTBALL FIELD

Floyd Mayweather Jr.
stopped by the New York Jets' practice facility, and came up with a knockout of an idea for his next career move.

“I think I could play in the NFL now,” the six-time champion boxer said with a laugh yesterday. “I'm going to talk to the owner.”

PARTING YANKEES POT SHOT

Lions coach
Jim Schwartz,
to the
Detroit News
, when asked if he plans to make any changes on his coaching staff in light of Sunday's 48-24 loss to the Bears: